MSNBC fires host for gay remark (The 'Savage' in his Savage Nation)

Boston Globe ^ | 7/8/03 | David Bauder (AP)

[harpu]

NEW YORK - MSNBC yesterday fired Michael Savage for making anti-gay comments on the air.

The popular radio talk-show host, who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel, referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a ''sodomite'' and said he should ''get AIDS and die.''

[harpu]

Savage Loses TV Show

The Real Story (from MichaelSavage.com)

What happened on the air is much different than what is being reported. It was in the middle of an airline horror story segment with a great set. Out of no where a crank caller from a competitive talk show went from describing his airline horror story to making vicious personal attacks against me. I signaled and thought that this crank caller was cut from the air. His insults continued in my ear piece and I reacted to him personally as an individual who was attacking me to defend myself.

Unfortunately, my personal comments to this crank caller were broadcast. In no way did my comments reflect my views of disease and suffering in any way. I have spent my entire life in the field of alternative medicine trying to heal the world and bring comfort to the sick. If my comments brought pain to anyone I certainly did not intend for this to happen and apologize for any such reaction.

Let me repeat, this was an interchange between me personally and a mean spirited vicious setup caller which I thought was taking place off the air. It was not meant to reflect my views of the terrible tragedy and suffering associated with AIDS. I especially appeal to my many listeners in the gay community to accept my apologies for any inadvertent insults which may have occurred.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Savage only speaks what most of us think but are too paranoid to say about what's on our mind!

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[banjo joe]

Savage only speaks what most of us think but are too paranoid to say about what's on our mind!

Yap, if you're tired of the butt-kissing, fawning, "celebrating", "empowering" and kow-towing.

[Catspaw]

Well, this

In no way did my comments reflect my views of disease and suffering in any way.

seems to be contradicted by this

''Oh, you're one of the sodomites,'' Savage said. ''You should only get AIDS and die, you pig. How's that? Why don't you see if you can sue me, you pig. You got nothing better than to put me down, you piece of garbage. You have got nothing to do today, go eat a sausage and choke on it.''

Savage should've known that mikes can be live at all times.

[xJones]

Savage only speaks what most of us think but are too paranoid to say about what's on our mind!

No, I don't want any homosexual to die of AIDS, anymore than I would wish for hetero fornicators to die from some incurable new strain of syphilis. If Savage's account is true, then some agitator really managed to get his goat.

[MJM59]

"I hope you get Aids and die." Now, there is an intelligent, adult response. It sounds like two kids name calling on the playground. Mikey needs to grow up.

[meandog]

"I hope you get Aids and die." Now, there is an intelligent, adult response. It sounds like two kids name calling on the playground. Mikey needs to grow up.

I concur...I'm a Mikey fan, but indeed he went too far! The caller was apparently a Don and Mike fan (of WJFK Washington, D.C.)--two Howard Stern wannabes who stoop to the most infantile of radio shows. Mike should have recognized the caller for what he was and parried him for a fool he was instead of losing his temper...

[LS]

No, he doesn't speak for me. I don't hope homosexuals "get aids an die." I hope they meet a powerful Christian who leads them to Jesus and turns their life around, then gets them to a counselor who can rid them of their "preference."

It's like saying you hope all drinkers die in car crashes, or all smokers die of lung cancer.

By Savage's standard, and apparently yours, Paul should have gotten "leperosy and died" because of his complicity in murder. But God saw the divine spark in Paul that He put in Him, and He put that same spark in every person, regardless of their current sinful condition.

[Catspaw]

Savage only speaks what most of us think but are too paranoid to say about what's on our mind!

Really? Savage doesn't speak for me. I find his comments appalling. I do not wish anyone to die from a dread disease. Saying what Savage said puts him on the level of the folks at DU.

[cloud8]

"Savage doesn't speak for me. I find his comments appalling. I do not wish anyone to die from a dread disease..."

I agree. He certainly hasn't won anyone over to our side.

[new cruelty]

Savage only speaks what most of us think but are too paranoid to say about what's on our mind!

"Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor."

[freebilly]

Duplicate thread. Click here for yesterday's 800+ posts.

[Sloth]

"Oh, you're one of the sodomites," Savage said. "You should only get AIDS and die, you pig. How's that?

Yeah, that's the same reason USA Today fired Julienne Malveaux when she said of Clarence Thomas, "You know, I hope his wife feeds him lots of eggs and butter and he dies early like many black men do, of heart disease. Well, that’s how I feel. He is an absolutely reprehensible person."

What? They didn't fire her? They hired her after she said that?

*Reels in shock*

[LS]

Not at all. I know some quite un-powerful Christians. Being plugged into a light socket doesn't mean your light is on.

[new cruelty]

2nd Cor 12:9 Jesus said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

[Republic_of_Secession.]

Indeed. The caller was simply one of those fans of that infantile Don & Mike Show who routinely call into other shows & either make silly comments or try to prompt an angry response from the host.

One fan once called CBS posing as an "eye witness" to a purported terrorist act fooling Dan Rather. (Which actually was not hard to do). Rather did not appear to realize that he was being had by a Don & Mike fan.

I can not believe that Savage fell for an act by a Don & Mike fan. I am guessing that Don & Mike will be having a field day today with this.

[buffyt]

Are the gay sodomites any worse than those of us who had premarital sex? Just as much a sin. Chief of sinners though I be. (Lived with hubby for 2 1/2 years before we got married 30 years ago)

[LS]

Sorry, quoting scripture out of context does not make it right. The fact is, having access to power is not having power. You just turn on the switch.

The children of Israel had the power to bring down the walls of Jericho, but if they just stood there when God told them to march, nothing would have happened. ALL the disciples had the "power" to walk on water, but only one actually got out of the boat, and even he got distracted.

[new cruelty]

You are mistaken. I disagree that 'powerful Christian' is an oxymoron.

[chief911]

Not to screw the tin-foil hat on too tight, but does anyone else think that PMSNBC knew when they hired Savage that they would eventully get this? If they ever listen to the radio show they know that he is prone to outburts similar to this. Makes for great publicity and bad-mouthing of conservative talk radio when you can fire someone for something you knew would happen in the first place.

[LS]

No, you are mistaken. How many times did the Lord or His apostles INSTRUCT people to do something, to "put on" the whole armor of God, to "add to your faith." So if you don't put it on, or add to your faith, your power does nothing. It is not engaged. If all we had to do to be powerful was walk around "exuding power," then 90% of the commandments in the New Testament would be unnecessary.

Again, I know plenty of totally "unpowerful" Christians.

[Colofornian]

Didn't MSNBC realize that Savage was only speaking his native language (brash New Yorkese) to a fellow brash New Yorker?

What? Diversity is okay except when it's too diverse? Tolerance is fine and dandy for thee but not for MSNBC?

[new cruelty]

Again, you are mistaken. Powerful Christian is not an oxymoron.

[Blackwood]

If you watch the clip on the glaad.org site, you've got an east coast straight white male from rival radio show Don Geronimo and Mike O'Meara calling up and saying he wants to force Savage to suck his male member, but he'd first have to take a baseball bat to Savage's teeth to allow it to slide down easier.

Yeah, that?s real defensible. Glad Glaad is taking up the caller's side and defending the right of obscene callers to describe sexually assaulting people.

And as usual, glaad which claims to be for "fair accurate reporting" is now mis-reporting that the caller was gay. Suuuure he was. In Glaads' dreams.

Is this how your organization envisions homosexuality, Glaad? Is this the kind of homosexual behavior that Glaad wants to defend? The right to mutilate people, break people's teeth to better force them to provide oral sex to gay rapists?

There's Glaad, off to the charge again. Doesn't matter the caller's behavior is indefensible, or even that he's not gay. ("Yeah, sure." is obviously said with sarcasm) Say AIDS and Glaad jumps all up and down, making no sense as usual.

[new cruelty]

I don't get it ...

An oxymoron is a combination of contradictory terms, e.g. Deafening Silence, Mournful Optimist, Powerless Christian.

"...for when I am weak, then I am strong.", i.e. powerful.

[CygnusXI]

.
.
The disclaimer on his show warns of "Psycological Nudity"...
....so what was the problem???
.
.

[new cruelty]

It is a misconception to think that Christianity makes you strong. You use Christs power; but you aren't strong, you are weak.

We can go round-robin with this but once more, "I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ... for when I am weak, I am strong".

I agree, Christians accept the power of Christ. However, as it may be redudant to put the words 'Powerful' and 'Christian' together, the term 'Powerful Christian' is not contradictory.

[FeliciaCat]

Savage got what he deserved. He made a VERY stupid statement. What a bozo.

[new cruelty]

OK. As you stated earlier, sorry, not trying to be picky and annoying.

[new cruelty]

LOL, and yet somehow... : )

[new cruelty]

ROTFLOL. and I want to be annoy, but not picky! I'M KIDDING!

[new cruelty]

ing

[new cruelty]

So I noticed.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Actually he was canned because of the pressure brought by the Sausage Council. It is quite a power in the Stonecutters.

[Catspaw]

Actually he was canned because of the pressure brought by the Sausage Council. It is quite a power in the Stonecutters.

It's GOT to be the bratwurst faction, I just know it.

[LS]

Dude. You keep repeating this mantra, but can give me no scripture of anyone who supposedly "had" power who failed to use it who nevertheless had the power mysteriously work itself.

Moses had to raise his staff, and even Jesus either SAID or DID something at EVERY healing/resurrection. We have not one single account of Him just "thinking" people to health or life. Moreover, in the one case where He "could perform no mighty works," the people had no faith. So clearly faith is absolutely necessary for a "powerful Christian." And your earlier mis-applied scripture on being weak in one's self in NO way contradicts my point. Paul did not say that he didn't have to actually DO something. He did. He preached, he debated, he laid on hands, and so on.

Consider this: the lame man at the Gate Beautiful was lame all his life. Jesus walked through that gate dozens of times in His ministry. Yet the man never got healed. Why? If Jesus had the power devoid of faith, merely His presence would have caused people to get healed. But it didn't.

The lepers were not cleansed until they ASKED for healing; even the woman with the issue of blood had to TOUCH the hem of His garment. Yet if you are right, He would have just walked around and people would be coming out of graves. But they didn't. Again, (and you didn't address this) Jesus and all the apostles constantly instruct us to DO things to obtain power---Peter said you had to ADD to your patience lovingkindness, and so on. It does NOT happen automatically. Hence, plenty of powerless Christians. Want me to introduce some to you?

[new cruelty]

ls, I think you are getting way more out of my post than intended.

[new cruelty]

Hence, plenty of powerless Christians.Want me to introduce some to you?

I don't know any.

Rev 3 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

[LS]

You have a HUGE problem taking things out of context. But even the verse you cite says that the churches to which the "scrolls" in Rev. were directed could be "cold." That doesn't sound powerful to me.

I repeat, you want an introduction to some powerless Christians? I see plenty.

[LS]

Well, to me it is a tremendously important point: if Christians were all "empowered" ONLY by being Christians, then there would be mass healings, resurrections, miracles of faith, and so on. It would look like Acts, times a million. But the fact is that many Christians are powerless because they are clueless ("My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.")

Most of them look at God as a malicious guy out to "get" them and "take them home" at the first opportunity, or "give them cancer" to "teach them a lesson." Baloney.

[sinkspur]

In no way did my comments reflect my views

Whose views did they reflect?

[Catspaw]

In no way did my comments reflect my views

That has to be the most ludicrious statement I've ever seen. It's like pols who say, "I said it, but it wasn't what I mean to say."